Skills Guide

SSH Setup

VerifiedCaution

Automates the process of setting up SSH key-based authentication on a remote server. It checks for an existing local SSH key pair, generates one if needed, and copies the public key to the remote host. Use this skill to enable password-less login to a remote server.

Download and use
Sby Skills Guide Bot
DevelopmentIntermediate
6/2/2026
Claude CodeCursorWindsurf
#ssh#key-authentication#remote-setup#password-less-login

Recommended for

Backend developerClaude CodeCode reviewFrontend developerCursorFullstack developer

Automated summary

Automates SSH key-based authentication setup on a remote server by copying your local public key.

Strengths

  • Generates a key pair if one is missing
  • Deploys the key to the remote server without manual editing
  • Verifies the connection after setup

Limitations

  • Requires the remote server to allow SSH connections
  • The remote server password is needed for the initial copy
  • Key generation without a passphrase may be less secure
When to use it

When you need password-less SSH login to a remote server.

When not to use it

If you want a passphrase-protected key or the server does not support public key authentication.

Security analysis

Caution
Quality score85/100

The skill automates SSH key setup, a legitimate task, but it relies on shell commands and an external script that is not audited in this submission. The no-passphrase key generation and bypass of execution policy increase risk.

Findings
  • •Uses run_shell_command to execute an external PowerShell script (scripts/deploy_key.ps1) with -ExecutionPolicy Bypass, which could be harmful if the script is compromised.
  • •Generates SSH keys with no passphrase by default, reducing security.
How this analysis is made

Examples

Enable SSH without password
Set up SSH key authentication for my remote server at 192.168.1.100 as user admin.
Generate and deploy SSH key
I need to copy my SSH public key to a remote host. Check if I have one and if not, generate it, then deploy it to root@example.com port 2222.
Fix password prompt on SSH
I keep getting prompted for a password when SSHing into my server. Automate the setup of key-based authentication.

name: ssh-setup description: Automates the process of setting up SSH key-based authentication on a remote server. Use this skill when the user wants to copy their local public key to a remote host to enable password-less login.

SSH Setup

Overview

This skill helps configure SSH key-based authentication. It handles:

  1. Checking for an existing local SSH key pair.
  2. Generating a new key pair if none exists.
  3. Copying the public key to a specified remote host.

Instructions

  1. Check for Local Key:

    • Look for SSH keys in the user's .ssh directory (e.g., ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub or ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub).
    • Action: Check if the file exists using your file tools.
    • If no key is found:
      • Ask the user if they want to generate one.
      • If yes, use run_shell_command to generate it: ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f "$env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519" -N "" (Note: This creates a key with NO passphrase for convenience. Ask the user if they prefer a passphrase).

  2. Get Remote Details:

    • Ask the user for the username and hostname (or IP) of the remote server.
    • Ask for the port (default is 22).

  3. Deploy Public Key:

    • To copy the key, you need to append the local public key content to the remote ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file.
    • Method A (PowerShell Script):
      • Use the bundled script scripts/deploy_key.ps1.
      • Command: powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "scripts/deploy_key.ps1" -User <username> -HostName <hostname> -Port <port> -PubFile <path_to_pub_key>
    • Method B (Manual Command Construction):
      • If the script fails or you prefer to show the user the command:
      • Construct the command: Get-Content <pub_key_path> | ssh <user>@<host> "mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"
      • Important: This step will require the user's password for the remote server. The ssh command will prompt for it.
    • Action: Run the command. If it hangs waiting for input (password), you may need to instruct the user to run it themselves in their terminal.

  4. Verify:

    • Ask the user to verify login by running: ssh <user>@<host>

From the file to a first result

The download contains exactly the content displayed on this page. This copy may differ from the latest version in the source repository.

View the source and supporting files

This download contains SKILL.md only. Any scripts, references, templates and dependencies are not included. Get the required files from the source, preserving their directory structure, before continuing.

1. Download the file

Download SKILL.md

From the root of a test project, save the file as .skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md, or use the command below. This folder is for inspecting the skill before installation.

Command for macOS/Linux or WSL: requires a POSIX shell and curl. On Windows without WSL, use the download button and create the folder manually.

mkdir -p '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy' && curl --fail --show-error --location 'https://skills-guides.com/api/skills/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/download' --output '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md.part' && mv '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md.part' '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md'

2. Check prerequisites

Read SKILL.md before using it. If it references scripts or external services, inspect them and prepare the required access in your test environment.

No recognized prerequisites section in this file. This does not mean it is self-contained: libraries, tools and access requirements may be mentioned elsewhere in the content or source repository.

The platforms on this page are catalog indications. The paths below follow tool documentation; they do not prove this skill has been run in those tools. No minimum tool version is confirmed for this listing.

3. Load the skill

After inspection, copy the complete folder into your project using one of the commands below, then open a new tool session. The command stops if a folder with the same name already exists: compare the files before replacing it.

Claude Code
test -f '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md' && test -s '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md' && mkdir -p '.claude/skills' && test ! -e '.claude/skills/ssh-setup' && cp -R '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy' '.claude/skills/ssh-setup'

Cursor
test -f '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md' && test -s '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md' && mkdir -p '.cursor/skills' && test ! -e '.cursor/skills/ssh-setup' && cp -R '.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy' '.cursor/skills/ssh-setup'

OpenSkills

OpenSkills must already be installed. The local install/read procedure is checked with OpenSkills 1.5.0, which requires Node.js ≥ 20.6.0. Catalog slugs are not resolved automatically.

Official OpenSkills installation
openskills install './.skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy'

openskills read 'ssh-setup-mm78nnzy'

Reading should display the installed file content and its base directory. It does not run the skill or install its dependencies.

For an agent that reads AGENTS.md, then sync the index. This command changes AGENTS.md: review the diff before using it.

openskills sync

Manual method or another tool: attach SKILL.md to a conversation, or open it in an agent that can read files. Include any required supporting resources. No universal folder is recognized by every tool.

4. Try a first task

Use a short, synthetic input: an API endpoint, a small document or an interface brief. In a new conversation, attach the file or give the agent its path, then adapt this request:

Read .skill-downloads/ssh-setup-mm78nnzy/SKILL.md and apply its instructions to this example: [describe a test input]. Identify any missing files, dependencies or access. Produce the result requested by the skill without inventing data or running unreviewed scripts.

Expected result: output matching the skill instructions, or a precise list of missing prerequisites. A read confirmation alone does not validate a first use. If an external resource is unavailable, that path remains untested.

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